Hat or cap rack.



Patented Mar. I3, I900.

M r 0 KR mu M J 6 V .Om E m. "P m Z 6 3 5 4 6 nm N (No Modal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD JAMES KIRK, OF

BRA OEBRID GE, CANADA.

HAT OR CAP RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,362, dated March13, 1900.

Application filed November 11, 1898.

Serial No. 696,167. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD JAMES KIRK, of the town of Bracebridge, inthe district of Muskoka, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hat or Cap Racks, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to hat and cap racks; and the object in view isto provide a light, strong, and ornamental rack adapted particu-v larlyfor use'in stores for displaying goods, such as hats and caps, the rackembodying means whereby the several hangers or hat and cap supports orhooks may be adjusted relatively to each other and with relation to thesupporting-frame, so as to economize space and adapt the rack. as awhole to articles of difierent sizes. The rack also affords an open-workor skeleton horizontal shelf upon which to place various objects fordisplay to customers, and the hanger-frames are of such constructionthat each one of them will support a number of articles Where they maybe advantageously displayed without necessitating the taking down of thearticles for the various customers.

The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will appear morefully in the course of the ensuing description.

The invention consists in a display-rack for hats, caps, &c., embodyingcertain novel features and details of construction and arrangement ofparts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, andincorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of adisplay-rack constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig.2 is a vertical cross-section through the same. Fig. 3 ma detailperspective view of one of the hanger-frames.

Similarletters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlugs.

The display-rack contemplated in this invention comprises, essentially,two parallel. rods A, which are connected by end crossbars B, thusforming a rectangular frame in which the parallel rods and end bars arerelatively rigid. When the supporting-frame comprised bythe rods A andbars B is in position for use, the several rods and bars are disposed ina common horizontal plane. The end bars 13 are also connected by meansof longitudinal wires or strands G, arranged at suitable intervals andconnected at their extremities to eyes I, projecting inwardly from thebars B. In this manner an openwork or skeleton horizontalsupporting-frame is provided, which when hung in a store forms a light,strong, and durable shelf upon which the articles to be displayed may beplaced or from which they may be hung.

In connection with the supporting-frame hereinabove described I employ aseries of hanger-frames or holders 0, each of which is formed of asingle length of wire. The central portion of the wire is allowed toremain straight, or approximately so, to form what may be termed acrossbar E. After forming the bar E the end portions of the wire arebent to form loops or eyes F and then extended outward and bent backupon themselves, as shown at J, to form hooks D. Other eyes F are thenformed, which lie in alinement with the eyes F above referred to, andthe terminals are then extended inward convergently, as shown at K, andcurved to form oppositely-projecting hooks H, which lie between thevertical planes of the eyes F and which are offset from and below thehorizontal or common plane of the eyes F. The hooks II are connected atthe nearest point of their approach by a tie or brace L.

The several hanger-frames or holders are strung upon the rods A, thelatter passing through the eyes F of said frames. Any number ofhanger-fram es maybe thus strung upon the supporting-frame and may beadjusted so as to bring them at the required distances from each other.When properly positioned, they are held in their relative positions bymeans of the longitudinal wires or strands G, which are looped aroundthe cross-bars E, as shown at M. The cross-bars E thus form additionalor intermediate supports for the longitudinal wires 01' strands G, thusadding to the efiiciency of the supporting-frame as a shelf upon whichto place articles for display.

Fromthe foregoing description it will be seen that I have produced asimple, light, durable, and convenient rack for supporting variousarticles for display in stores, &c., and that the device as a whole maybe produced and sold at a small cost. The supportingframe may be made ofany desired length, and any required number of hanger-frames may bestrung thereon. I It will also be seen that -ing-frame.

the distances between the several hangerframes may be varied accordingto the will of the manufacturer and that the several hangerframes may beadjusted with relation to each other by simply removing the wires orstrands G. This will enable the hanger-frames to be readjusted .to suitrequirements, and after they are adjusted they may be retained in suchpositions by again applying the wires or strands G in a manner that willbe readily understood. It will also be seen that each hanger-frame isprovided with oppositely-extending hooks which project beyond theparallel rods A of the supporting-frame and that it is further providedwith additional oppositely-projecting hooks which are arranged betweenthe vertical planes of the parallel rods and which are offset from andbelow the common or horizontal plane of said rods, thus providing a verycompact arrangement of supporting-hooks. It will also be seen that thecross-bars A are in effect provided with terminal eyes F, which encirclethe rods A, thereby serving as a means for supporting thehanger-framesupon the supporting-frame and at the same time bracing the parallel rodsof the supporting-frame, the cross-bars also serving as intermediatesupports for the longitudinal wires or strands G,which constitute aportion of the supporting-surface for the articles which are placed uponthe support- The device as a whole will accommodate a large number ofarticles, including hats, caps, &c., and all the articles may bedisplayed to ad vantage, thereby avoiding the necessity of removing ortaking down the various articles to exhibit them to customers. It alsoobviates the usual practice of piling the hats and caps upon each other,which is liable to result in injury thereto.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a hat and cap rack, two rods connected by cross-bars incombination with a series of wire frames bent to form hooks, and alsoeyes or loops by means of which they are strung upon the said rods; andwires connecting the said frames and the cross-bars, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

2. As a hat' and cap rack two rods A, connected by the cross-bars B, incombination with a series of wire frames 0, each bent to form the hooksD, the cross-bar E, and the eyes or loops F; and one or more Wires Gr,connecting the said frames and cross-bars, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

3. As a hat and cap rack two rods A, connected by the cross-bars B, incombination with a series of wire frames 0, each bent to form the hooksD, the cross-bar E, the eyes or loops F, and hooks H; and one or morewires G, connecting the said frames and crossbars, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

4. A display-rack substantially such as described comprising a series ofend-supported rods arranged parallel to each other, in the sametransverse plane, and forming a supporting-shelf, and a series ofhanger-frames applied to said rods, each hanger-frame having a pair ofhooks connected by an intermediate bar and said hooks extended inopposite directions from the respective sides of the supportin -shelfformed by .the rods, said hanger-frame also provided withoppositelyfacing hooks disposed below and within the first-named hooks,as and for the purposes set forth.

5. A display-rack, substantially such as described comprising a seriesof parallel rods forming a supporting-shelf, means connected to endportions of said rods for holding the same, and a series ofhanger-frames applied to said rods and each having the cross-bar, theupper pair of hooks, the downwardlyconverging branches, and the lowerpair of oppositely-facing hooks disposed within the upper hooks; thecross-bar of each hangerframe lying substantially in the transverseplane of the shelf-forming rods and the upper pair of hooks extended inopposite directions from the respective sides of the shelf afior'ded bysaid rods, as and for the purposes described.

6. A display-rack, substantially such as described, comprising straightcrossbars, a se; ries of rods attached thereto in the same transverseplane and forming a supportingshelf, and a series of hanger-frameshaving cross-bars spanning the spaces between the rods and constitutinga part of the area of the shelf, each hanger-frame being also providedwith a plurality of hooks, two of which are prolonged beyond theopposite sides of the shelf afforded by the rods and certain other hooksdisposed below the shelf, as set forth.

7. A rack comprising parallel rods suitably supported, in combinationwith frames strung thereon and each made of a single length of wire bentto form a cross-bar with terminal eyes to receive the rods, andho'oksbeyond the eyes, the terminals of the wire being extended toward eachother to form other hooks which project in opposite directions and liebetween the plane's'of the rods, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

Bracebridge, Canada, November 5, 1898.

EDVARD JAMES KIRK.

In presence of- J OHN KIRK, WILLIAM J. KIRK.

